Car-coupler-positioning device



Nov. 15, 1927. I 1,649,466

G, G. GILPIN CAR couPLER PosITIoNING nEvIcE Filed April 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 772 I/ezz toga' aart/z @Gilpin Patented Nov. 15,1927.

Uivi'ii-:DA STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARTI-I G. GILFN, CF REVERSDE, XLLNOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION` METAL PRODUCTS COMIANY, OF CHICAGG, XLLNOS, A CORPOBATON OF DELAWARE.

CAR-COULER-PQSITONING DEVICE.

Application iledApril 19, 1926. Serial No. 103,051.

This device relates to means for automatically positioning the coupler of a railway car by gravity.

Two railway cars are automatically coupled together by the movement of their respective couplers forcing the tails of the pivoted knuckles behind gravity locks.' rlhe coupleis are mounted in the cars so as to permit a limited amount of lateral movement. Such limitation is necessary and essential because if the couplers were allowed to move too farto either side, the couplers of the two cars being coupled would pass each other and not couple, thereby defeat ing the object ofthe-automatic coupler. The greater the lateral movementvof a coupler the less side pressure on the striking casting when the cars are going around curves. This lateral pressure forces the wheellianges against the. rail causing considerable friction and wearing of the rails and wheels.

One of the objectsof the invention is to increase the amount of permissible lateral movement of a coupler by providingk automatic means fork returning the couplers to the longitudinal center of the car or at least close enough thereto so that the automatic couplers will couple. This is what is termed the coupling range.

It is very often necessary to couple cars on curves and frequently when the radius of the curve is very small, as is common around industrial plants, the couplers of the two cars will be so far out of alignment that they will not automatically couple. An-

other object of the invention is to automati cally bring such couplers within coupling range. T he outside rail of a curved track is raised above the inside-rail and I provide means whereby the coupler is moved toward the inside of the curve by gravity. This automatic gravity means also returns thc coupler vto thelongitudinal center of the car when the car moves from t-lie curved to the straight part of `the track. i

In my device .the lateral movement between the coupler and the carrier is eliminated, thus reducing friction and consequent wear on the parts. This is quite an item particularly in sandy countries because couplers are costly and the replacement of a coupler means keeping the car out of service. V.Coupler positioning devices reduces the number of broken knuckles andfguard arms on. couplers which members are frequently bent orbroken when the couplers are not within coupling range. Such devices also reduce the number of accidents to trainmen as they are not requiredv to go between the cars and position the coupler preparatory to coupling.

Y Figs. l3 and lare diagrams showing the preferred form in normal position and eX- treme lateral position, respectively.

' F igs. 5, 6 and 7 show the roller of Figs. 3 and 4 in detail, Fig. 6 being a section on line 6--6 of Fig.` 5.

Fig 8 shows a modied form having a different means' of retaining the parts in proper relative position.

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrams showing the `device made of two (or more) rollers.

Figs. 11, 12 and V13 show one of the'rollers of Figs. 9 and 10'in detail, Fig. 12 being a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11. Fig. `14 shows a modified form of the roller.

Fig. 15 shows the roller of Fig. 14 in detail. f j

Fig 16 is a section on line 16-16 of Fig. 15.

Fig. V17 showsV a modiiication wherein the carriage has been eliminated.

Fig. 18 is a section on line 1818 of Fig. 17.

Figs. .19 and 20 are diagrams showing the construction of Figs. 17 and 18 in ,normal position and extreme lateral position, respectively. Y f -v Fig. V-21 shows a double roller arrangement with the carriage eliminated.

, The striking casting or buffer block 2 is attached to'thedraft sill 3 or other part of a car in any suitable manner and the coupler support 4 is attached to it or preferably cast integral therewith. `The coupler 5 rests upon a carriage 6 which engages the .support in such a manner as to restrict its movement longitudinally of the llO car but to permit its movement sidewise of the car. This is preferably accomplished by providing a U-shaped support having spaced apart walls 7 5 between which the carriage moves in one direction but is restricted in its movement longitudinally of the car. This carriage 6 has lateral extending flanges 9 which are positioned above the support so that if the positioning de- ,i vice fails the carriage will rest upon the support. The carriage is also provided with means 10 to restrict the lateral movement of the coupler relative thereto.

Une or more rollers 12 are interposed between tlie support and the carriage, each of which rollers has curved upper surface 13 and lower surface 14 which engage the carriage and support, respectively. These rollers are held in place by being positioned within a U-shaped support 4. The radius 15 of .each of the curved .surfaces is greater than half the depth of the roller so that as it rolls to one side it raises the coupler, as shown in Figs. 4 and 20. This is what is called an eccent-ric roller.

Some means must be provided co-aeting with the curved surface to maintain operative relation between the various elements. This may be laccomplished by providing projections 163-17 on the support and carriage, respectively, which engage the opposite ends of the rollers, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This result may also be accomplished by providing a single projection 18-19 on the support and carriage, respectively, which engage slots on the opposite sides of the roller, as shown in Fig. 8. This projection is preferably a rib connecting the opposite walls 7-8 of the support or the opposite walls 20-21 of the carriage.

Figs. 9 and 10 show a pair of rollers 22 interposed between the carriage and the support. These rollers may be held in operative relation by oppositely positioned lugs or by a single i'ib arrangement, similar to that shown in Fig. yt5.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the single roller (12) in detail, while Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show one of the double rollers (22) in detail.

Fig. 14 shows a construction wherein the curved surface is used on one side of the roller only.

Figs. 15 and 16 show one of the rollers, as illustrated in Fig. 14.

Figs. 17 and 18 show a single roller arrangement wherein the carriage is eliminated by providing projecting horns 23 on .either side of the roller. Two small rollers with horns could be used instead of one larger roller, if desired, as shown in Fig. 21.

I claim:

1. In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a laterally movable coupler, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said support and said coupler, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller.

2. In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a laterally movable coupler, and a Vroller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said support and said coupler, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said roller, respectively, beingl provided with .means co-acting with said surface to maintain operative rela tion between the elements.

In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a laterally movable coupler, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagenient with said support and said coupler, respectively', the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said roller, respectively, being provided with projections which engage the opposite ends of the roller to maintain operative relation between the ele ments.

4. In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a laterally movable coupler, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said support and said coupler, respectively, the radius of each surface being-greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said roller, respectively, being provided with projections which engage the roller to maintain operative relation between the elements.

5. In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a coupler carriage, said carriage having means to restrict the lateral movement of a coupler relative thereto, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said supportand said carriage, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth vof the roller.

6. In a railway car; the combination of a coupler support, a coupler carriage,said

carriage having means to restrict the lateral movement of a coupler relative thereto, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said support and said carriage, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater thanl half the depth of the roller, said support and said carriage, respectively, being pro-y vided with means co-acting` with said surface to maintain operative relation between the elements.

7. In a railway car; the combination ofl a coupler support, a coupler carriage, said carriage having means to restrict the lateral movement of a coupler relative thereto, and

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a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said supportand said carriage, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said carriage, respectively, being provided with projections which engage the op posite ends of the roller to maintain operative relation between the elements.

8. In a railway car; the combination of a couplei` support, a coupler carriage, said carriage having means to restrict the lateral movement of a coupler relative thereto, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces'having a rolling engagement with said support and said carriage, respectively, the radius of each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said carriage, respectively, being proi vided with projections which engage the roller to maintain operativerelation between the elements. Y

9. In a railway car; the combination of a. coupler support, a coupler carriage engaging said support so as to permit its movement sidewise of the car but to restrictits movement longitudinally of the ear, said carriage having means to restrict the lateral movement of a. coupler relative thereto, and a roller interposed therebetween with curved surfaces having a rolling engagement with said support and said carriage, respectively, the radius ofV each surface being greater than half the depth of the roller, said support and said carriage, respectively, being .provided with means'co-acting with` said surface to maintain operative relation between the elements. Y

GARTH G. GILPIN. 

